


In Shining Defiance

by amyfortuna



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, POV First Person, Platonic Kissing, Psychic Bond, The Void
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 11:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12365010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyfortuna/pseuds/amyfortuna
Summary: Fëanor and his sons, in the wake of the Darkening, search for a unique way to kill Morgoth.





	In Shining Defiance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [uumuu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/uumuu/gifts).



We were standing in a semi-circle around our father in his laboratory when our great work began, after Darkness had fallen, after his wild grief at the death of his father and the loss of our Silmarils. 

"Somewhere out...there," Fëanáro gestured eloquently, "beyond the stars, in the darkness of the Void itself, is something that can kill a Vala." His eyes burned like twin flames, and his hands were flying fluidly as he spoke, both gesturing, and pouring various liquids into a silvery vessel. The fluids hissed as they combined together. "But how do we reach the Void, the eternal emptiness, the waste places of the universe, where no Light is? I have some thoughts on this." He turned a little, meeting each of our eyes in turn. "Will you accompany me, will you anchor me, on our strangest journey? Together we shall transcend nature and time itself, and beyond the boundaries of thought or dream we shall bring back to Arda the instrument of the Black Foe's doom." 

"I will, Father," Pityafinwë was the first of us to speak. 

He was holding fast to his twin's hand, and almost immediately after, Telufinwë nodded eagerly. "And I," he added. 

Tyelcormo was the next to speak, save that he and Curufinwë spoke over each other in their haste. "I will!" they both exclaimed almost at the same time, and Curufinwë smiled, reaching out to take his brother's hand. "We will."

Carnistir, more measured, let out a breath in what was almost a sigh. "I will follow you down any road, Father," he said. 

Maitimo and I glanced at each other before Maitimo spoke in Carnistir's wake. "I too, Father," he said, voice trembling with emotion. "Whatever must be done." 

My voice was the last. I deliberately made it so, and now I added my assent, the last, the unifying force. "Father, let us be your instruments," I said, and bent my head before him, a gesture of the highest respect, such as was expected to be given only to a Vala. 

The smile that lit his face then was tinged with grief and pain, the echo of loss, of love far too recent. We knew all too well how much our father loved his father, and indeed we had followed his example in our love for him. 

Maitimo stepped forward, took Fëanáro’s hand in his own, bent and kissed the knuckles, calloused and scarred. “Tell us your thoughts,” he said softly, and Fëanáro, greatest of all the Noldor, of all the Eldar, began. 

“My beloved ones, with your aid and strength we can create wonders, we can go beyond the fragile boundaries of our little time and space into realms of imperishable Light — and unending Darkness. Out of that Darkness came Melkor’s ally, who rumours say even he feared, and who the Valar know not, for she is beyond their ken. What other horrors might lurk in the time beyond time, in the Dark beyond Dark? And what Light may dwell in realms none of the Eldar has seen or was ever meant to have seen?”

He took a deep breath, pausing for a moment. Tears glittered in his eyes when he looked up again, shining there like diamonds. “I say, was ever meant to have seen, but I am the son of Míriel Þerindë. I know her desires, I know where she now dwells, and it is due to my mother that we will find our way." 

He held out the silvery bowl, which now contained a clear solution. "This will bind us, hold us together as one. So anchored to you as you will be to me, my spirit can break the bounds of Ëa itself and venture into the Void to find our doom and our destiny." 

Walking over to a nearby round worktable, he flung everything on it aside, and set the silver bowl in the middle. "The body anchors the spirit," he said, gesturing us over. We surrounded the worktable, looking on curiously. "When I place my hand in this liquid, it will endeavour to separate my body from my spirit and fling me into the Void. You must all hold onto my body and anchor me to solid ground. As long as I can feel you, I will not be gone. When all the solution has evaporated, I will return."

Nodding in understanding, Maitimo was the first to move, coming to stand behind Fëanáro and wrapping his arms around his waist. I followed, pressing against his right shoulder, my mouth to his ear, and Tyelcormo took the other side. We exchanged a concerned glance, and Tyelcormo bent to kiss his shoulder. 

The twins sat down on the ground, wrapping their arms about his legs, holding him firmly steady. Curufinwë stood beside Maitimo, behind Tyelcormo, a hand on Fëanáro's back. Carnistir took Fëanáro's right hand, and at his nod, plunged the hand into the solution, holding him by the wrist. 

Fëanáro immediately went limp, held up only by our efforts. Maitimo gave a grunt, taking the majority of his weight. 

"So dark and cold," Fëanáro whispered, his voice sounding as though it came from very far away. "Hold me, children. The only warmth I feel is you." 

The space of several heartbeats passed, and Fëanáro jerked suddenly. We all cried out wordlessly and held on tighter. "Father," I breathed into his ear, my lips brushing it. He sighed softly at my voice and settled. 

"There are...creatures in the Void," he said. "Fearsome and deadly, and none that I would unleash upon our world." 

"Keep searching, Father," I said softly. "We are all with you." I pressed a kiss to his neck, just underneath his ear.

He breathed in a long, deep breath at my words, and then was silent for a time. Tyelcormo glanced over at me, worry in his eyes. 

At last he spoke again, and this time his voice was soft and tender, sweet and loving. "Mother," he breathed. "Mother." 

Light seemed to fill him, straining upward. We had much ado to hold him back. Carnistir looked down at the bowl. "It's almost empty," he mouthed to me. 

"You have very little time left, Father," I said. Tyelcormo leaned across and kissed his forehead. Maitimo held him ever closer, and we waited, waited, the moment stretching out to an eternity. 

The bowl was empty, and with a loud gasp Fëanáro returned to us, his eyes flying open. A fierce light burned in them. We hugged him tightly, then carefully stepped away, all save Maitimo, who continued to hold onto him, just to steady him. 

Fëanáro opened his other hand and in it a white spear, as if it were made out of light, grew at both ends, extending and extending until it touched the floor, until it nearly touched the ceiling. "This was a gift from my mother," he said. "This will kill a Vala." 

Tyelcormo sat down on a low bench, thoughtfulness in his eyes. "Your mother?" he said. "Did you really see Míriel Þerindë there in the Void? Why is she in the Void?"

"We spoke at length," Fëanáro answered. "She chose that fate for my protection, and she has been guarding me ever since. From outside Ëa she can look down upon us, and our fate concerns her. She gave me words of warning and a message for you all: not to underestimate our Enemy, for he is very great, but also not to underestimate our own strength of will and the power of our unity."

"When we work as one, nothing can defeat us," Curufinwë said in a quiet voice, sitting down beside Tyelcormo, who wrapped an arm around him. "Is that it?"

Fëanáro walked over to him and kissed him on the mouth. "Yes, my Curvo," he said. "Together, we shall be victorious. Together, we shall kill him." 

"Then we must go now," Pityafinwë said, brushing himself off. "We cannot delay." 

I laughed, sudden and fierce, and the sound echoed throughout the room, throughout, it seemed, the world. 

"Here's to our victory!" I proclaimed.


End file.
